Tehama Grasshopper | Fougeron Architecture

A surprising integration of old and new elements, of competing urban forces, brings the
remodeled warehouse alive. Three stories of interlocked spaces have distinct personalities and
functions: office, main living area, and penthouse. The rigidity of the original concrete structure
is broken down in a subtle interplay of light, surfaces, levels, and indoor and outdoor spaces—
making the urban living experience as richly textured as the city itself.

The second floor is the main living space for the young owners and their children. Its focus: a
new courtyard, cut out from the existing floor plate that connects the building to the new
penthouse above and to the sky. This vertical section offers multiple layers of transparency and
views from one floor to the next, thus interweaving the inside and outside spaces with a play of
light and dark. All the new elements in the living space—kitchen, bathroom, and storage—are
treated as eight-foot-tall cabinetry floating within the existing volume.

The airy third-floor penthouse addition is the centerpiece of the design. The geometry of this
sculptural object is a deliberate contrast to the orthogonal grid of the existing concrete
structure. Reminiscent of rooftop staircase enclosures on old San Francisco warehouses, the
penthouse adds natural form to the urban landscape—like a grasshopper settled lightly on the
building surface. From all vantage points at the rooftop level, the owners enjoy breathtaking
views of the city skyline. The penthouse living area includes the master bedroom and bathroom
as one free-flowing space. It wraps around the courtyard, interweaving the upstairs and
downstairs levels. Clear glass panes—again a requirement of the owners—offer no visual
privacy. Their connection to outer world is a celebration of urban living.